Muscat, Oman — Sustainable Square, MEIRA’s proud ESG Partner, announced the launch of a landmark white paper authored by Svenja Weber, Senior Responsible Investment & Sustainability Advisor at Sustainable Square, during the 2025 MEIRA Annual Conference in Muscat. The report sheds light on the evolving relationship between Investor Relations (IR) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) functions across the region — and calls for urgent action to bridge critical skills and alignment gaps.

Unveiled at one of the region’s most influential gatherings of capital markets leaders, the white paper marks a pivotal step in redefining how IR and ESG teams collaborate to meet the demands of increasingly sustainability-conscious investors. The research draws on interviews with heads of Investor Relations and ESG from leading organisations including First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), e&, Ominvest, and SAL Saudi Logistics Services Co., underscoring the report’s practical relevance to the region’s capital markets.

Key Findings

  • Structures exist, but alignment is limited: While 80% of organisations have an IR function and 65% have a dedicated ESG unit, only 40% maintain cross-functional ESG–IR committees, underscoring the need for stronger integration.
  • Critical skills gaps remain: Many IR teams demonstrate only moderate ESG knowledge, while ESG professionals often lack the investor-communication skills essential for effective engagement.
  • Proven value despite gaps: The majority of participants confirmed that closer ESG–IR alignment has already significantly boosted investor interest.
     
  • Three priorities for the future:
    • Cross-disciplinary fluency – IR must broaden beyond financials; ESG must deepen financial insights.
    • Targeted upskilling – Training and certifications to close capability gaps.
    • Harmonised structures – Governance and reporting frameworks to clarify data ownership, streamline KPIs, and align financial and sustainability disclosures.

A Turning Point for ESG & IR

“This white paper is more than research, it is a call to action for companies to rethink how they integrate ESG into capital markets engagement,” said Svenja Weber, author of the paper. “By fostering cross-disciplinary fluency and investing in skills development, organisations can unlock stronger investor confidence and sustainable value creation.”
Access the full white paper here: https://sustainablesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/whitepaper3.pdf

For media inquiries, please contact:

Noon Yousef
Marketing & Communication Manager
nyousef@sustainablesquare.com

About Sustainable Square

Headquartered in the UAE, Sustainable Square is a regional force with global relevance in ESG, sustainability, climate strategies, decarbonization, sustainable finance, and responsible investment. With over a decade of execution across the Middle East and emerging markets, the firm has helped companies turn ESG from a reporting burden into a strategic asset that drives valuation, resilience, and investor confidence.

Sustainable Square partners with listed companies, private firms, and financial institutions to embed ESG into business strategy, improve disclosures, accelerate climate action, and enhance their equity and investment story. This approach has positioned the firm as a trusted advisor, with a customer satisfaction rate of 92% and a client retention rate of 90%.

To scale this impact, Sustainable Square developed SQUARELY — a fully AI-powered ESG reporting platform that automates complex disclosures, ensures data integrity, and aligns seamlessly with global investor-grade standards.

Visit us at:  www.squarely.tech
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainable-square